


"Morpheus, the Master of Dreams"

by TheUsagi1995



Series: With Sword and Scimitar our story is written... [2]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Bottom Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani, Caretaking, Comfort, Dreams and Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Immortal Husbands Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Implied/Referenced Sex, Love, M/M, Making Love, Nightmares, One Shot, Post-Movie: The Old Guard (2020), Protective Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Scared Joe |Yusuf Al-Kaysani, Tenderness, Top Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, non graphic sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:02:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25784095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheUsagi1995/pseuds/TheUsagi1995
Summary: It was usually Nile who would be haunted by dreams about the ever drowning Quynh. Alas, when Joe is the one whose sleep is disturbed, Nicky is there to comfort him, and fight by his lover's side, against Morpheus, the Master of Dreams.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: With Sword and Scimitar our story is written... [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1889575
Comments: 6
Kudos: 75





	"Morpheus, the Master of Dreams"

**Author's Note:**

> What can I say, I love this kind of stories. Are they common? But of course. Alas, I could not resist! I hope you will enjoy!  
> No beta reader, all mistakes are mine.  
> All the phrases uttered in Italian and Arabic are translated with the help of Google translate. Feel free to point out any mistakes!  
> Thank you for reading!  
> Enjoy!

_**"Morpheus, the Mater of Dreams"** _

* * *

During his long lifespan, Nicky had been roused by countless causes. By the sound of horses treading a few feet away from his head. By the screechy echo of blades clashing on the other side of the battlefield. By the hurried, muffled whispers of his name. Rare had been the occurrences where Nicky had been woken up by the ominous whooshing sound of a sword as it was cutting through the air, ready to fall upon his throat like a scythe, and even fewer still when he would be woken up by the echo of a safety of a gun as its barrel was ready to meet his head. The rarity of those instances was of course a curtsey of Yusuf, who had spent the last nine hundred years sleeping with his chest nearly molded to Nicky’s broad back.

* * *

That night however, when Nicky awoke, it was neither because of the earth trembling as horses were galloping upon endless plains, nor yet because of swords clattering or guns clicking. No, it was a result of a much more terrifying force, one which Nicolo of Genoa had countered before but could never overpower. For neither he, nor yet any Man could decide what dreams would creep behind closed eyelids in the dead of the night, when the body lay defenseless, surrendered to the clutches of Morpheus. As Nicky blinked the blurriness away, obliging his eyes to get accustomed to the dim light which was illuminating the small bedroom, he became aware of Yusuf’s battle against the treacherous Master of dreams. A battle Yusuf seemed unable to win.

* * *

Nicky cast a fleeing gaze across the room, out the window, squinting his eyes at the sight of sheets of rain as they were coating the fine glass. The clouds had been gathering all day long and by the time the sun had set, they were dyed scarlet. It was a fine gift for Nile and Andy, who had taken off, determined to travel across Europe. Nicky and Joe had waved goodbye, the absence of Booker’s sassy remarks biting at their flesh harder than the chilling Northern wind which was swirling around London.

* * *

Nicky tensed at the slightest change of Joe’s breathing pattern, well aware of the meaning of the heavy, labored exhales. It wasn’t a repetitive occurrence for Joe to be tormented by nightmares, but should he fall prey to them, then his partner knew that he had to serve as a soldier in a tough battle against an invisible enemy. Nicky braced himself, always willing to jump to the front line if it meant he could be of help. Joe moaned in his troubled sleep, a sound coming from the depths of his throat and Nicky’s body reacted on its own accord, shifting in the man’s embrace until soft lips brushed themselves on Joe’s fine neck.

* * *

“My love,” Nicky whispered meekly, not wishing to startle the man whilst he was at his most vulnerable, “wake up now, come on.” Alas, his words were not strong enough to beat Morpheus, whose hold on Joe seemed one of iron. “Joe, I am right here,” Nicky tried again, probing himself up on his elbow so as to be able to caress his lover’s face. Joe chocked, the act eliciting a strange sound from the depth of his throat, its echo causing Nicky’s eyes to fly wide open. It was a low gasp, a desperate attempt for an inhale which seemed unable to provide comfort.

* * *

“I need you to come back to me, Joe.” Nicky’s calloused hands roamed over a sweat-drenched face as his body moved on the king-sized bed. Still, the man in question remained locked in his dream, his breathing a constant whizzing. Nicky’s right hand flew to the nightstand, turning the lamp on. His eyes burned at the sudden change, yet he paid no mind to the sensation for next to him, Joe’s body was wrecked by shivers so violent Nicky had to switch their places on the bed. With movements fast and efficient, the man leaned with his back against the headboard, pulling his lover impossibly close to him, to the point where one could not make out where Nicky’s frame ended and where Joe’s began.

* * *

Strong arms enclosed Joe’s shuddering body and Nicky’s lips found his lover’s ear. “Astayqz ya ruhi.” (Wake up, my soul.) The whispers were laden with sadness as Nicky tasted salt on Joe’s cheeks. He had always been a man of service, a man whose words were scarce whilst his actions plenty. But at that moment, no sword or scimitar could be of use. Only soft pleas and gentle touches, tender ministrations, which Nicky hoped could free Joe of Morpheus’ hold. Joe choked again, withering like a fish out of the water and Nicky’s breath trembled as it escaped his lips. “Destati, anima mia, destati.” Nicky pleaded, the same words uttered in his own language, wishing for his breaths to find their way between Joe’s lips and into his lungs, into his blood, into his very soul who seemed in such dire need.

* * *

“Torna da me, Yusuf.” (Come back to me.) Nicky had never been good with words, so he opted for that one name, his partner’s first name, wishing it could be able to withstand the weight of all the unspoken, comforting whispers Nicky couldn’t bring himself to utter. With one last shudder and a chocked broken exhale, Joe bolted upright, his body coming to a halt as strong, familiar arms restrained it. “Nicky, Nicolo,” Joe rasped frantically, as he was finally back in the land of the living, thus obliging the Master of Dreams to seek pleasure elsewhere. No other word but Nicky’s name echoed in the small room for a long while, during which Joe continued to inhale lungfuls of air greedily, as though he thought he would never have the chance to do so again.

* * *

“I’m here, I’m here my love.” The man offered in a wavering tone, hating the distress his partner was in. “She’s outside the window! She’s going to get in,” Nicky’s hand moved to Joe’s sweaty locks, fingers massaging his skull. "Nothing will happen to you as long as I draw breath. And I promise you, I will keep doing so." Nicky's resolve wavered as Joe's pained inhale seemed to burn his insides. In less than a blink of an eye, Joe wielded his right hand to stay still as it reached for the dagger under his pillow. “Who do you think is lurking outside the window, Joe? Who did you dream of?” To Nicky’s dismay, however, Joe could offer no answer, only dart his haunted eyes across the room in search of something Nicky could not see.

* * *

"She's," Joe's chest heaved and Nicky did the only thing he could. He tilted his head to his right, trying to get a glimpse of his partner's paled face. "Shh, hush my love, there’s no one outside. Only you and I, nestled in our safe house, in London. Nile and Andy are half way across England by now.” Nicky explained softly as his right hand lavished Joe's chest with feather-light caresses. Callused fingers wrapped themselves around Joe's stiff fist in an attempt to get the man to loosen his hold around his dagger.

* * *

"No, not them," Joe panted, hiding his face in the crook of Nicky's fine neck, not bearing the sadness in his partner's eyes. "Then who? Kozak?" The mere mention of the name, fleeting as it may have been was sufficient to cause Joe's shoulders to shake. Ghosts of recent horrors sprung to life and the image of Nicky lying dead, with a gaping hole in his head overrun Joe’s already troubled mind. With his left hand, he searched blindly until his fingers got lost in between Nicky's soft locks. Fine fingers, accustomed to both the soft touch of paper as well as the hard pommel of the scimitar touched the back of Nicky's head whilst Joe waved his refusal. The Italian felt Joe’s tears against the tender skin of his neck.

* * *

"No. Not, it was her. Quynh." At the sound of the words Nicky's eyes fell closed not bearing the weight of guilt. "Have Nile's dreams affected you as well?" It wasn't exactly a question, or if it was, Joe could tell Nicky was not expecting an answer. "She was standing outside of our window, soaked to the bone." Joe accounted in a quivering voice, inhaling his lover's scent. Nicky's hold on his chest tightened. "I got outside, wanting to greet her.” Joe breathed out a broken sob. “Before I could utter a word I found myself drowning. I truly tried to swim against the force which was condemning me to plunge into my death, Nicoló, I swear I tried." Nicky kissed the top of Joe's head, holding his own tears at bay.

* * *

"But then I saw," Joe's voice cracked as Nicky's heart shattered. "Shh, va bene, sei al sicuro adesso, cuore mio. Sei al sicuro." (It's all right, you're safe now, my heart. You're safe.) Joe breathed out a broken lament, nestling ever so close to Nicky. "I saw you, chained and beaten, falling down toward a bottomless pit. I wanted to reach out to you, but I wasn't fast enough. I kept drowning and coming back to life, but I was nowhere near you. I dived deeper still, desperate to get to you.” Nicky began laying kisses on to Joe's creased forehead as the need to ease his pain was burning him from within. "But I could never reach you." Joe paused then as his body went numb. "I am right here, look at me." Nicky rasped in a rather edgy tone. Joe tried to comply, only to avert his gaze right away, fretful of witnessing the same deathly pale face, which had haunted his sleep.

* * *

"Her laughter broke through the ringing in my ears. 'The sea has taken pity on me. The waves carried me across the world and the treacherous, untamed depths have sworn to claim those who betrayed me.'" Joe's voice sounded vacant as he quoted Quynth's words. "She was right. I betrayed her. I gave up on looking for her." Nicky pushed Joe's face a few inches away from his neck, cupping his wet cheeks with movements so gentle, one would think Joe could break should Nicky apply more pressure. "We did everything we could. By the time we had gotten our hands on the equipment which could take us to such sunless depths as the ones the iron coffin had sunk in to, we had lost track of it. We couldn't keep on drowning ourselves in search of it." Joe's tears were now trickling down his cheeks unhindered.

* * *

"Oh but I could." The words were a broken, forbidden prayer, one Nicky's lips had not dared to utter, yet whose mind had been familiar with. "If it were you in that coffin I would keep drowning myself until I could be with you again. I did so, Nicolò, in my dream, I did so." Nicky brushed his thumbs on the sensitive skin, interrupting the course of the salty rivulets. "Shh, Yusuf it was but a dream, my heart, soul of my soul, it's gone now." The words were of little use. Nicky cursed inwardly.

* * *

"Forgive me, for I have sinned," Uttered Joe, his choice of words startling Nicky, whose body stiffened. "During the times when you would make love to me, ever so tenderly, as though I was your God, I would fall apart, silently crying as your hands would bring me bliss. As she was plunged into the depths of the ocean, I was elevated onto the heavens. And I found myself begging for forgiveness, because," Joe choked on his words and Nicky's lips found his forehead. "I was content that it was her and not you. God, Nicolò what does that make me?" Nicky gathered the broken man in his embrace once again, wishing to alleviate his guilt, wishing he could take away the pain. But he could do neither of those things, so he cleared his throat, falling back into a role he had never truly forsook. The one of the priest.

* * *

"That, my beloved Yusuf, makes you a human. You would give your life to save her, even now, would you not?" Joe offered a weak nod. "That's what you need to keep in mind, my heart. You would do everything in your power to find her, as would I, but you cannot forsake the fact that neither of us is in her place. We are still walking this earth, drawing breath. We must live until fate decides to sever our ties with this world." The clatter of the dagger as it collided with the floor went unheard by Joe, who had now wrapped both his arms around Nicky's neck, leeching the man's warmth.

* * *

They lost track of time after that, as Nicky pushed his lover back to the mattress ever so gently, whilst he lay on top of him, shouldering the entirety of the blame, shielding him from the cruelty of the world. They kissed, slowly and carefully, their tongues dancing, not battling for dominance. Then, finally, Nicky's hands and mouth took Yusuf apart, worshipping his body, mending his soul. Soft lips offered their breath to Joe, and so lost was he in pleasure that he could not refuse. And so it was, that Nicolò tended to his partner, showing him, like Yusuf himself had done eons ago, that love was not a shameful act. It could never be.

* * *

Joe’s fine back arched on the bed as his climax overwhelmed him, shading everything but Nicky’s slim body, muffling every sound except the soft echo of his name as Nicky mumbled it. All breath abandoned Joe, stealing his voice, rendering his parted lips unable to utter a word. The room began to spin and Joe knew he was drowning, like Quinth, just like her, until Nicky leaned over him, shielding his mouth with his own, willing every last molecule of oxygen to be given to that man whom he adored beyond reason. Joe’s eyes fell closed as the world stilled, his body finding solace in Nicky’s impenetratable embrace.

* * *

"Shh, I'm here." Nicky whispered softly as Joe shivered from the aftershocks of his orgasm. "I know. Now I know." Replied Joe as he burrowed in Nicky's chest. "Oh, so we are changing the arrangement tonight?" Questioned Nicky, his face only inches from the one of his lover. "Only so that you won't get bored of me." The man muttered sleepily, a small smile tugging on his lips. "Never, Yusuf." Nicky hummed, wrapping his arms around Joe's back after he had turned off the light. Joe's beard was warm against the crook of his neck and Nicky cast one last glance at the far end of the room. The rain had mostly eased, only lone droplets were left to stain the glass. “What if she comes back? Seeking revenge?” Had Nicky breathed at that moment, he would have missed the words.

* * *

“Should she regain her freedom, then she wouldn’t wish to waste her time on revenge.” Nicky offered kindly. “All she has is time, my love.” Joe uttered, voice laden with fear. “No. She doesn’t have an endless lifespan ahead of her. None of us does.” Joe clung on to his lover. “Should she return, then we will welcome her back, we will reason with her.” Nicky continued, caressing Joe’s broad chest. “What if she no longer listens to reason?” The fret in those words was evident. Nicky stilled, breathing in and out calmly, humming a tune of times old. Eventually, Joe’s breathing evened. “I love you.” Muttered Joe, the words barely leaving his lips as sleep took him.

* * *

"Rest well, my heart." Nicky whispered softly, before allowing his eyes to linger at the window. “If one will not listen to reason for madness is reigning supreme, they will be met with the sword’s pointy end. No harm shall come upon you, Yusuf.” Nicky muttered into the night, aware that his lover had not heard him. It was better this way. With one last glance out the window, Nicolo fixed his eyes on the sole beacon of light in his long life, staying awake, ever vigilant, ever loving guard for Yusuf.

* * *

If Quynh was truly lingering on the other side of the glass, none could tell, none but the crescent moon which lighted up her tear marked face as it broke free from the hold of clouds.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> So, here it ends! I would love to hear your thoughts!  
> Thank you for reading!  
> Stay safe wherever you are,  
> Until next time,  
> Love ya all,  
> Usagi!


End file.
